Outbound Collective logo

Hike the Gooseberry Trail in Canyonlands

Moab, Utah

4.0/5
based on 1 reviews

Details

Distance

4.2 miles

Elevation Gain

1548 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Annelise A

A breathtaking climb down the side of a cliff into the heart of the Canyonlands.

This hike will take your breath away—literally. You will experience stunning views of Canyonlands National Park while literally stepping down the side of a cliff. Once you get to the valley floor, continue on to the smaller cliffs of the White Rim.

To get there, follow Grand View Point Road down towards the middle of the park, then turn left at the sign for the White Rim Overlook. Park in the parking lot, and go to the sign marking the start of the trail. This is the same trail as the White Rim Overlook at the start. Pretty soon you'll hit a kind of small hill—go to the LEFT. (Unless you want to take a quick detour to go see the White Rim Overlook first, then go right.)The trail isn't really visible a lot of the time, so follow the cairns.

This hike is not for the faint of heart—if you are scared of heights, do not go! The trail begins and ends by hiking narrow, rocky steps pretty much straight down and then back up the side of a 1,500 ft cliff. Also, don't forget to bringwater—always bring more than you think you'll need when hiking in the desert!

Read More

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Photography
Hiking
Easy Parking
Scenic
Wildlife

Hike the Gooseberry Trail in Canyonlands Reviews

A few friends & I wanted to do this trail on our trip to Canyonlands. We heard it was hard, but we accidentally started out going to the White Rim Overlook—which is very easy. Eventually we found the Gooseberry trailhead, but we were so underwhelmed by the Overlook's difficulty that we were not as well prepared as we should have been... This is a crazy hike! You literally hike down THE SIDE OF A CLIFF. Literally, we saw the cliff from the Overlook & I never in a million years would have guessed that humans would be able to hike down it. Anyways, we made it to the bottom and started walking along to the White Rim Canyon cliffs. This part of the trail is pretty easy, however one of my friends was starting to feel the effects of dehydration. We turned around early & actually sent a friend up ahead to get more water from the car & bring it back down to us. Thankfully we all made it out safe & alive, but learn from our mistakes: hiking in the desert = bring LOTS of water!!!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Hike the White Rim Overlook

Hike to Murphy Point

Catch a Sunset at Green River Overlook

Hike the Aztec Butte Trail

Night Photography at Mesa Arch

Mesa Arch